Sheet feeder



June 5, 1945. H. E. PEYREBRUNEETAL 2,377,447 v v SHEET AFEEDER 6Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed. Sept. 18, 1941 v INVENT June 5, 1945.

H. E. PE YREBRUNE ET AL SHEET FEEDER 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 18,1941,

1NVENTOR5- Hennl E Peyrezqfwze, EY .Era/ZOEPczguzea,

IIIIII June 5, 1945. H. E. PEYREBRUNE ETAL 2,377,447

SHEET EEEDER Filed Sept. 18, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 75 INVENTORS.HenmE/Ueyfebrm@ BY lira/20 BPgzazeZ,

June 5, 1945. H. E. PEYREBRUNE ETAL SHEET FEEDER vFiled Sept. 18, 1941 GSheets-Sheet 4 June 5, 1945.' H. E. PEYREBRUNE Erm. n: 2,377,447

SHEET FEEDER.

Filed Sept. 18, 1941I 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 I 7 INVENTORS.HerzrbEPeyre-brfze,

Patented June 5, 194.5

SHEET FEEDER Henri E. Peyrebrnne, River Forest, and Bruno B.Pasquinelli, Chicago, Ill., Aassignox's to The Miehle Printingv Pressand Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of IliinoisApplication september 18,1941, sena1No.411,s14

6 claims. (ci. 271-53) Our invention pertains broadly to the art offeeding sheets of paper and the like to printing presses and other sheethandling machinery.

. The invention more specifically relates'to that class of sheet feedingmechanism by means of which the sheets are advanced to the registeringuntil the transferredv sheet is completely withe drawn from theregistering table, or until the y next sheet is registered.

means in the form of a continuous stream of lapped sheets. n

The improvements which our invention providesare more particularlyintended for embodiment in sheet feeders which include a rotary type fof stop gripper transfer mechanism, that is to say, a mechanism in whicha sheet, after having been removed from the feeder pile, is first registered, then engaged by sheet gripping members while the transfermechanism and the sheet are both at rest, whereupon accelerating motionis A device wherebythiscan be accomplished, and

an operating mechanism for such a device, are

described in United States Patents Nos. 1,790,457, issued to J. R.Blaine, January 27, 1931, and 1,764,104, issued to A. G. Jacobson, June17, 1930, respectively, both patents having been assigned to theassignee of the present invention. It will be noted that the Blaine andthe Jacobson structures are both shown as applied to sheet transfergripper mechanisms of the oscillating type; however, it is evidentthat-by adequate modifications in the design of saidy structures, thebroad princi-l ples disclosed in said 'patents are readily adaptable forembodiment in a sheet transfer mechanism of the rotary type. such as isdescribed in said patent to Stevens.

Instead of receding the grippers of the sheet latter is deceleratedandfeventually broughtto rest, ready to engage the next registeredsheet.

A well `known mechanism' whereby these steps are accomplished, in singlesheet feeding, is disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,991,003,issued February 12, 1935, to B. D. Stevens and assigned `to the assigneeof the present invention.

It is the broad principle of said mechanism and drive therefor which wepropose to introduce intothe embodiment of the present invention andwhich shall'be specifically adapted for handling sheets fed in. lappedsequence.

In order to take full advantage of the principles inherent in a devicesuch as said prior patent discloses for single sheet feeding, it will beunderstood that numerous constructional 'improvements shall have to beintroduced when 'such a device is to be embodied in afe'eder wheresheets are to be handled in lapped sequence and in 'a manner that a.succeeding sheet shall have reached the front guides beforethe'preceding sheet has passed beyond said guide, thereby gaining timefor registering the successive sheets and making possible also areduction in the widthv oi' the gap in the printing cylinders.

It has previously been suggested, in single sheet feeders, to recede thegrippers of a sheet transfer mechanism from'their normal plane ofoperation immediately after the leading edge of a sheet i istransferred'to the sheet receiving member, such as an impressioncylinder of a printing press, and after returning to their sheet takingpositions, to maintain the grippers in their receded position tween saidgrippers and a Asheet that isbeing withdrawn from the registering table4could be provided by so mounting said table that its front end, togethervwith the sheet or sheets thereon,v

would dip away from the transfer grippers and remain in its dippedposition until the sheet to be transferred is completely withdrawn fromthe table. Y

Applicants have found that. when presses are run at extremely highlspeeds, it is of advantage not only to recede the grippers of thetransfer mechanism from their normal planes of operation during' thetransferring of the sheet, but also to dip the registering table awayfrom the transfer mechanism.

One of the outstanding objects of our invention, therefore.- is v'toprovide a sheet feeder of the class referred to, whichV shall haveembodied therein a novel combination of broad principles .such as areseparately disclosed in said earlier patents, and which shall be adaptedto meet the requirements called for when feeding sheets in lappedsequence at high rates of speed.

An additional object resides in the provision of an improved feederwhereby the productivity of a. sheet handling machine shall beconsiderably increased. l

Another object of the invention is a combination of means which shallfunction to provide more time for accurately registering a sheetwithout, however, reducing the relative press speed and therewith theproductivity of the press.

A further object is to provide improved means whereby the sheet transfermechanism shall be securely locked against movement during theregistering period of a sheet.

A still further object to be accomplished by the invention is theprovision of means whereby irregularly fed sheets shall be detected andthe feeding operation consequently interrupted.

Other objects and novel features of our invention will be apparent fromthe following specification and appended claims read in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings which represent a preferred embodiment of theinvention and wherein:

Figure 1 is a ydiagrammatic view in side elevation of the improvedfeeder and of a printing press to which the sheets are to be fed;

Figure 2 is a fractional view of Figure 1, but showing certain parts indifferent positions;

Figure 3 is a detail view of the sheet registering table showingpreferred means-whereby the front end of the table can be raised andlowered with relation to the sheet transfer mechanism.

VFigure 4 depicts the arrangement of the sheet grippers on the transfermechanism and means whereby said grippers are actuated;

Figure 5 is a similar view but illustrates the grippers withdrawn fromtheir normal plane of operation;

Figure 6 illustrates one preferred means for imparting variable motionto the sheet transfer mechanism;

Figure 7 shows, in side elevation, the front portion of the registeringtable and means thereon whereby the transfer mechanism is locked in apredetermined position during the registering period of a sheet; i

Figure 8 illustrates means whereby misfed sheets are detected, the partsbeing shown in their respective positions when a sheet is properly fed;and

Figure 9 shows the position of the detector parts when a sheet has notbeen fed in proper timed relation. Y

The printing machine selected for the purpose illustrating anddescribing the novel features which constitute our invention is of therotary lithographic class. It shall be understood, however, that theimproved feeder will find its usefulness on other types of sheet fedprinting presses and on many kinds of sheet handling machinery otherthan printing presses.

Referring now to the diagrammatic showing of Figure 1, the arrangementincludes a feeder pile board I0 onto which the sheets to be fed arestacked, forwarding tapes II, registering table I2, and a rotary sheettransfer mechanism I3.

Theprinting press which is to receive the sheets is of the conventionaloffset type and includes an impression cylinder I4. a blanket cylinderI5, a plate cylinder` I6, dampening mechanism I1, and inking mechanismI8. lThe printed sheets areto be conveyed to a delivery board I3 bymeans of a chain gripper, mechanism' 20.

Preferably, the sheets are separated from the pile 2I by means ofsuction shoes 22 arranged.

along the rear edge of the pile, which shoes en- I2 by means of theforwarding tapes II in order to be presented to the side guides 21 andfront guides 28.

As depicted in Figure 1, the sheets are fed in lapped sequence so thatsheet A is against the registering guides and ready to be transferred tothe impression cylinder I4 by means of the transfer mechanism I3, sheetsB, C and D are being advanced in spaced relation beneath sheet A and arestill in the bite of said rollers 25 and 25, with the rear edge ofsheetD just about to be released by the suction roller 24.

In Figure 2, the sheet A has been advanced and transferred to thegrippers of the impression cylinder I4 and the sheet B has reached theregistering guides 28 while it is still in part covered by sheet A. Asindicated in the preambleherein, the sheet transfer mechanism I3 isactuated so that, after having engaged a registered sheet, it willremove a sheet at an accelerating speed until it has reached cylinderspeed, i. e., the surface speed of the impression cylinder I4.

The sheet is then taken over by the cylinder grippers 30, conveyedbetween the cylinders I4 and I5 to receive an impression and thereupontaken over by the chain grippers 3| of the de livery mechanism 2Il inorder to be deposited onto the delivery board I9, see Figure 1.

According `to the position of the parts illustrated in Figure 2, thefront end of the table I2 has been lowered, that is to say, the tablehas been swung about its pivotal support 32, thereby moving the frontend away from its normal plane of operation. Furthermore, the grippers33 of 35 the sheet transfer mechanism have been receded 4,0 sheettransfer mechanism is used, the grippers 33 will again have reachedtheir sheet engaging position either before a sheet has been completelywithdrawn from the table I2, or after the next v following sheet hasalready reached the front guides 28. Therefore, in order to avoid injuryto a sheet while still on said table, the grippers of the sheet transfermechanism and the front end of the registering table should be receded,i. e., withdrawn from their normal planes of operation and maintained insuch withdrawn position until the rear edge of a transferred sheet haspassed beyond the front registering guides 24.

Preferred mechanisms for accomplishing this are illustrated in Figures3, 4 and 5 now to be described.

As shown in Figure 3, the table I2 which is pivoted at 32 to the frameof the press has provided thereon a lug 40 to which is pivoted at 4I aneye bolt 42, the free end of which extends through a block' 43. 'I'hisblock is carried within the ends of a bifurcated arm 44 which isintegral with cam roller arms 45 and 46 and is mounted on s nxed shaft41 to rock about its axis. From gage the top sheet and raise its rearedge above the pile and past one or more air blast nozzles 23, whicheject a blast of air between the raised sheet and the top of the pile,as is common practice in the construction of sheet feeders. Theseparated sheet is then taken over by a forwarding member, preferably arotating suction roller 24 which advances the sheet into the bite of aseries of tape pulleys 25 and drop rollers, 'I'he -nm-.s x.. um hmmm-ANInum Han n'm'infnrinn table' opposite sides of the block 43 extendpintles 43 which are journaled in said ends of the arm 44 in a manner.that the block may turn freely therein. In order to more clearlyillustrate the 'means whereby the eye bolt 42 is connected to the arm*44, the latter is shown in section taken along a plane which passesthrough the bifurca- -tion of said arm.

raise the table I2. The cam roller 52, which is carried by thev arm 46,rides over the cam disc 50 which transmits to the arm 44 a downwardmovement thereby to lower the front end of the table I2 in order to moveit out of its normal plane of operation. The contour of said cam discsis such that positive movement shall-be imparted to the lever arm 44 inboth directions of its movement.

In the position illustrated in Figure 3, the registering table I 2 islowered so that an appreciable gap shall be provided between the topsurface of said table and the reel 60 of the transfer mechanism. 'I'heleading edge of the sheet A, which is in the course of being removedfrom the table I2, has reached its point of transfer where the grippers33 are about to release the sheet and the grippers 30 of the impressioncylinder Ill have just engaged it. The cams '49 and 5d are so timed thatthe table l2 will remain in its lowered position until a sheet in thecourse of being transferred is completely withdrawn from the table.

The bolt ivand the arm td function to provide in effect a toggle linkwhich is broken, as illustrated in'full lines in Figure 3, when thetable i2 is lowered, but which is straight, as shown in broken lines,when the table is up. By means of the nuts 5d and 55, which retain theblock d3 in its position on the bolt d2, the table I2 can be readilyadjusted to maintain its tion with relation to the reel et.

In Figures 4 and 5 are illustrated partially in section those partswhich constitute a preferred `means whereby the grippers 33 are recededfrom and returned to their normal plane of operation.

In the position of the parts depicted in Figure 4, the transfer grippers33 are closed and have a Aregistered sheet A in their bite ready to betransferred to the impression cylinder of the press,` whereas in Figure5 the grippers 33 are open and Withdrawn within the periphery of thereel 6d, whereas their cooperating pads remain in their originalposition.

The arrangement of the cooperating parts, whereby the grippers 33 areactuated to assume the positions, is as follows:

At each end of the transfer gripper shaft 8i is provided a bracket 62,which are secured are secured thereto preferably by means of anges t3and te which embrace said-shaft and which are clamped onto it by anysuitable means, such as bolts t5. f

While for the sake of simplicity we have chosen to illustrate only oneof said brackets and associated parts, it will be readily understood asthe description proceeds that the mechanism illusproper positrated inFigures d andv 5 is duplicated at the n opposite end of the shaft 6l. I

Journaled in said brackets is a rotary gripper rock shaft 66 to which issecured a gripper holder or bracket 51. The latter is constituted of amember 68 and of a holder cap GQ, which latter serves to clamp themember 68 onto the shaft 56, preferably by means of bolts 1G. Set screws1l are provided in said cap'l, by means of which.

screws the holder 61v and the parts carried thereby are securely lockedin ktheir required positions.

Preferably the grippers 33 are of the radial type, that is to say, theyare arranged to move into and out of their operative position radiallyof the transfer reel rather than to swing about their axis from theirsheet engagingl position into their inoperative position by such meansof tumbler mechanism, or the like.

Each gripper is constituted oi' a gripper head and of an inwardlyextending body portion .12, the inner end of which is preferably reducedto provide a stem 13 which passes through a block 'I4 pivotally carriedby the arm 15 which extends from the bracket member 68 of the holder 61.The fr ee end of the stem 13 is embraced by an expansion coil spring 18which bears against the upper face of the block It and against a tensionadjusting nut 11 which is threaded to the free end of the stem 13. Thepurpose of the spring 16 and nut 11 is to provide for adjustment of thetension which the transfer grippers 33 are to exert against the gripperpad blocks 1t, one of which is associated with each gripper t3 for thepurpose of grasping the leading edge of a sheet to be transferred fromthe registering table to the impression cylinder of the press.

Each pad block 18 is mounted on a stationary pad support I9 and all ofthese supports are removably secured to a bar 80 by means of bolts 8|,and which bar preferably is integral with the bracket 62.

To the outer end of shaft @t is secured a roller arm 85, which at itsfree end is provided with a stud 86 on which rotates a cam roller Si.The latter rides over a cam 8d mounted on the side frame of the transfergripper mechanism and which cam i-s rotated preferably continually andin proper timed relation during the operation of the mechanism. In thearrangement illustrated, the cam 88 is rotated in opposite direction tothat of the stop gripper mechanism. This .cam is shown in broken lines,and it will be understood that two ofthese cams and associated arms androllers 81 may be provided, one on each side of the mechanism. Asindicated, the roller 81 may be urged against its companion cam 83 bymeans of a tension spring 89.' One end of said springl is attached to asuitably 1ocated eye provided preferably "on the bracket 62, whereas theother end of the spring is attached to the arm 85.

The brackets 82 also have pivotally mounted therein a rockfshait 9d,which may be actuated to rock about its axis by any conventional cammeans, or the like mechanism. preferably by means of a cam which rotatesin the same direction as cam 88, namely iny opposite direction to thestop gripper mechanism.

The rock shaft 90 has secured thereto a gripper releasing blade 9iwhereby the grippers are displaced from their position depicted inFigure 4 and swung away from the gripper pad blocks 18 so that thegrippers maybe Withdrawn within the periphery of the reel SQ, into theposition shown in Figure 5.

The function of the parts featured in Figures 4 and 5 isas follows:

First. in order to recede the grippers 33 from their normal operativepath the rock shaft ed is actuated so that the blade el engages the stemI2 of. the grippers and displaces it to the right, as viewed in Figure5, and to an extent that the tips oi the grippers become located beyondthe edge of the pad blocks 18. `By that time the high portion 92 of thecam 88 will have reached the roller 81 in order to displace the arm 85in the clockwise direction andv consequently rock the gripper holder 61about the axis of the shaft- 66 so that the grippers 33 assume theposition illustrated in Figure 5.

When the roller 81 reaches the low portion l position shown in Figure4;' then due 4te the rocking o! 'shaft 66 in the counterclockwlsedirection the gripprs are again moved outwardly sufficiently far topermit thethe blade 0| fromA engagement withthe stern 12. The grippers00 are urged into their sheet gripping'position by means of tensionsprings 94.

It will be understood that the contour of cam 88 has a recessed portionlocated immediately adjacent the cusp of the high portion 92 and whichis such that the grippers 03 are moved out radially somewhat beyondtheir sheet engaging position depicted in Figure 4 before they are swungaway to be receded, and vice versa when the grippers are being returnedto,their sheet holding position.

As indicated herein, the tension of the grlpf pers against the padblocks may be adjusted by means of the adjusting nuts 11.

We will now proceed to describe one suitable l. I

- j the rollers |06 and |00 with their respective mechanism whereby thedesired motion is imparted to the rotary sheet transfer mechanism I3 forthe purpose of transferring registered sheets from the table |2 to theimpression cylinder i4. The principle of such mechanism is more fullyset forth in the U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,027,818, issued to H. E.Golber and assigned to applicants assignees.

Referring to Fig. 6 it will be seen that on the transfer shaft 0| ismounted a composite gear preferably built up of a centrodal segment |00,a circular segment |0I and a second centrodal segment |02. The remainderof the composite gear may comprise asegment l|00 which is circular, anda segment |04. Also secured to-the driven shaft 6| is a bracket |00which carries a roller |06, the bracketbeing adjustable' with respect tothe composite gear by means of the adjusting device |01. roller |00, isr'otatably mounted directly on the circular gear segment |00 so thatadjustment of the bracket by means of the device |01 will function toset the relationship of the rollers with each other so that there shallnot lbe any play between said rollers and their cooperating cams duringthe period of dwell -in the functioning of the rotary transfer grippermechanism.,

The driving shaft |00 has keyed thereto a composite driving gear IIOhaving a plurality of gear segments including a centrodal segment III, acircular segment II2, a second centrodal segment |I0 anda circularsegment III, comprising the greaterjportion of the gear. To complete thedrivingmechanism a gear segment IIO is provided to mesh with the segment.|04 of the companion composite gear.

The hub I I6 which is preferably gear ||0 has formed integrallytherewith the cam I|0, while similarly secured to said gear is a secondcam Ill.` Both cams are provided at one end with a portion of moredeterminedl curvature and at their other end with an extension. In orderto provide for adjustment of gear segment ||2 with relation to itsadjacent segments an adjusting device is provided,

while the entire composite gear, includingjthe circular gear segmentIII, may be adjusted by a similar device I2 I.

With the parts in position as shown'in Figure 6 it is seen that rollers|00 and |00 ride upon the cams ||0 and I|0 respectively so that rotationof the driving shaft |00 lcontinues. while shaft 0| remains momentarilyat rest. Initial movement ia a counter-clockwise direction is 'im- Aroller |00, similar to,-

bolted to 'uneV `I00 and III without any impact. The meshing of thesesegments, it will be understood, causes accelerating motion to beimparted to shaft 6I, thereupon the circular segments IIJI and II2 beginto mesh when a predetermined speed of shaft 0| has been reached. Duringthat period when the circular segments are in mesh, the delivery of thesheet froni the transfer mechanism tothe rotating impression cylindergrippers takes place. In the present arrangement the meshing of thesegments |02 and ||3causes gradual deceleratingA motion of shaft 6Isubsequent to which the circular segments |03 and II4 engage and theshaft 6I is rotated at uniq form speed. For the slow-down motion of thetransfer mechanism the gear segments |04 and II5 -are provided, themeshing of which takes -place immediately prior to the engagement ofcams whereby said shaft will beheld against rotation.

It will be understood that instead of making up said compositegears byseries of segments, each gear could be cut as one continuous gear.

The mechanism illustrated in Figure 7, whereby the rotary sheet transferdevice I3 and the registering table I2 are maintained in theirinterlocked position during the period of dwell of said device, includesa registering tooth |30 which may be bolted or otherwise secured to oneend of the transfer mechanism by means of locking bolts -I3|, or thelike. A cooperating feed table registering tooth |32 isarranged with arecess |33 formed in the table I2. This tooth is mounted in a mannerthat it can be adjusted' to a limited degree within said recess. Themeans for mounting the tooth may include a pair of locking bolts |04 andwashers |05, whereby the tooth |32 is rigidly locked againstvdisplacement from its ad; justed position. At one end of said tooth isformed a bore |36 which. accommodates a compression spring I31, whichlatter, for convenience of adjustment, and vafter the bolts |34 havebeen released, urges the register tooth toward the adjusting bolt |08.The adjustment of the tooth is accomplished by suitably turning saidbolt whicliis threaded into the other end of the tooth |02 land the headof which bolt bears against a shoulder |00 formed in the table I2. Thespring I01,'on the other hand, bears against a shoulder |40, alsoprovided in saidj table. f

As depicted in, Figure 7, the cooperating parts are in their positionswhen the transfer mechanism I0 and the table I2 are held interlocked, in`which position the locking faces Ill of the tooth |00, and |02 of thetooth |32 bear against each other. l

As explained herein, the table I2 is mounted to pivot, i. e., recedefrom its uppermost position,

see Figure 3, into alowermost position for the purpose of providingadequate clearancefor a sheet which is in the course of being withdrawnfrom said table.

It will be understood that at the moment when the table is being recededfrom the position shown in Figure '7, the transfer mechanism I0 hasbegun its rotation for the purpose of withdrawing a registered sheetfrom the table I2, and that the faces HI and |02 of the registering, i.e., 1ock. ing teeth |00 and |02 shall again assumetheir locking relationwhen at the end of the revolul 2,377,447' tion of the transfer mechanismi3 the table I2 is portion |83. the latter having by that timebeenreleased by the hook I'H so that the pendulum can be swung about itspivot |11 and against the very light tension of the spring H8, thependulum will be moved in a. clockwise direction and held by the sheetin the position depicted in Figure 8, so that the hook i 1i during its'next upward stroke shall not be restrained from its upward movement andconsequently no tripping will take place.

in the interest of simplicity the front guides 23, see Figure 1, are notillustrated in Figures 8 the feeder, and the bracket i5!) is rigidlyheld on said tie shafts preferably by means of set screws ib and i5@respectively.

'liheI bracket ii also carries a tripping shaft '$55 which is mountedwithin a bearing provided in said bracket and is rocked to and frocontinually during the operation of the press in timed sequence with thefeeder by any conventional tripping mechanism such as are Well known inthe art of sheet fed printing presses and therefore not described orillustrated 'herein. A sheet detector hook lever 56 is held in lockedposition on said shaft by means of a set screw ibi' and preferably keyedthereto by means of a taper pin i158, or the like.

Said bracket furthermore supports a sheet detector holder arm i60 whichis pivoted at iti tosaid bracket in a manner to permit a limited pivotalmovement for the purpose of making possible a slight adjustment of thearm iSd, as will be explainedl later. The arm i6@ is securely locked tothe bracket i5 by means of bolts H52 and i553 respectively, and uponloosening of said bolts the arm may be rocked about the pivotl iti bymeans of the adjusting screws li and i65, the heads of which arearranged to bear ragainst abutments such as dowel pins it@ and 67respectively.

'io the arm E56 is pivoted at iiii a sheet detector hook lli whichextends upwardly, and near its free end is pivoted at i'lZ to a link lltwhich, in turn, has a pivotal connection at llt with the arm ldii. At'its extreme end the hook iii is formed with a notch H5 whichaccommodates a pendulum H6 pivoted to swing freely about a stud i'i'icarried by the upper, free end of the arm fitti.

The pendulum il@ is normally urged against the hook iii by means of alight tension spring iiii for the Apurpose of retaining the pendulumwithin said notch 15. The tension oi the spring iid may be readilyadjusted by means of a detector spring rod il@ threaded into a bracketIS. where it is secured in its adjusted position by means of a set screwiti. The spring il@ may be attached to the pendulum W6 and to the screwills respectively by such means as eye members itiii.

and 9, butlit shall be understood that when the leading edge of a sheethas reached the position shown in Figure 8, it abuts against said guidesas depicted in Figure l, and the guides remain up until the sheet is tobe withdrawn.

However, should a sheet fail to present itself in proper timed relationto the upwardly extending arm ist oi the pendulum, then the latterremains in the position illustrated in Figure 9 and conse quently,during the subsequent upward stroke oi Athe hook i'ii, the latter willbe restrained from moving upward and the means for tripping the feeder,or the press, will be set up and rendered operative, thereby preventingmisfed sheets from going through the press Preferably the arrangementand opeation of the coacting parts is such that in the event of a sheetbeing misfed, the grippers 33 remain in their receded position, so thatsuch sheet shalll not be engaged by the grippers, and the front guides2i? remain upa in order to prevent a sheet from sliding down beyond thefront end of the registering table i2.

Should it become desirable at any time to adjust the arm E83 of thependulum in the direction of travei of the sheets to be registered, thenthe bolts 62 and its are loosened and the adjusting screws itil and Hare turned in a manner that the arm ist is rocked about its pivot iti tothereby position the pendulum as required.

While we have described and illustrated herein preferred embodiments ofmechanism whereby un the objects of our invention may be attained, it

shall be understood that it is our intention to cover any suchmodiiications in the design and in the manner of operationl of thevarious mechanisms that will come within the terms of the ap- W pendedclaims.

mechanism just described is as follows: As indil cated herein, the rockshaft 55 is continually rocked to and fro during the operation ofthepress by means actuated through the tripping mechanism, so that the hookiii is moved up and down in proper timed relation to the feeder tothereby release the pendulum W5 from the notch ile just prior to theleading edge of a sheet reaching the upwardly extending arm |83 of saidpendulum and which arm, as will be seen i to said forwardin mea s in ordr The manner of operation of the `detector g n e to advance from their'normal Vplanes of operation while a from the position illustrated inFigure 9, norunally` projects into the path of sheets to be registered.

As soon as the sheet contacts withthe pendulum 7g sheet is beingwithdrawn from said table, and means provided on said supporting tablefor engagingl sai/d sheet transfer member and locking it againstrearward movement during the registering period oi a sheet. 2. In asheet feeder -in lapped relation, the combination of a registeringtablefhaving a normal plane of operation wherein sheets are fed 6 asma?and having a receded position with respect thereto sheet registeringmeans associated therewith and operative to register the top sheet onthe table when the table is in said normal planeof operation and toengage the leading edge of the underneath sheet when the table isreceded, a

rotary sheet transfer mechanism for removing registered sheets from saidtable, and means for receding said table from its normal plane' of optable having a normal plane of operation and having a receded positionwith respect thereto, sheet registering means associated therewith andoperative to register the'top sheet on the table when the table is insaid normal plane of operation and to engage the leading edge of theunderneath sheet when the table is recededa rotary sheet transfermechanism for removing registered sheets from said table, a train ofcomposite, noncircular gears for imparting a complete revolution to saidtransfer mechanism. sheet engaging members associated with saidmechanism, means for raising and lowering said table, and means forreceding said sheet engaging members from their normal plane ofoperation during the removal of the registered sheet from said table forthe purpose set forth, the means for raising and lowering said tableincluding adjustable elements having toggle action whereby the extent ofraising and lowering of the table can be varied.

4. In a sheet feeder, the combination of means for advancing sheets inlapped sequence, a regisrotary sheet transfer mechanism having sheetengaging members, means for imparting to said mechanism a completerevolution before the rear edge of a sheet in the course of beingtransferred has passed beyond said registeringl means and while asucceeding. underlying sheet is approaching its registering position,and means respectively for receding said table and said members fromtheir normal planes of operation during the removal of a sheet from saidltable for the purpose set forth, the means for receding the registeringtable including adJustable elements whereby the extent of such recedingcan be varied.

10 5. In a sheet feeder of the class adapted to advance separated sheetsin lapped sequence to a sheetI handling machine, the combination of aregistering table, sheet registering means, a rotary sheet transfermechanism, means for imparting to said mechanism a complete revolutionbefore the rear edge of a sheet in the course of being transferredhaspassed beyond said registering means and after a succeeding,underlying sheet has reached such registering means, and locking meansassociated with said table and transfer mechanism and including anadjustable. yieldingly mounted member and a rigid member, arranged-in amanner that upon return of said table from its receded position into itssheet registering position, said members engage and. lock said sheettransfer mechanism against rearward rotationl to thereby retain thesheet transfer member in register during the registering period of asheet. 6. In a sheet feeder wherein sheets are fed in 3o lappedrelation, the combination of a registering when the table is in saidnormal plane of operation and to engage the leading edge of theunderneath sheet when the table is receded, a rotary sheet transfermechanism for removing registered sheets from said table; a train ofcomposite gears y for imparting to said mechanism accelerating, teringtable having a normal plane of operation and having a receded positionwith respect thereto, sheet registering means associated therewith andoperative to register the top sheet on. the

v tame when the tame is msnm normal plane of 4 operation and to engagethe leading edge of the underneath sheet when the table is receded, a'

uniform and decelerating motion, and means for receding said table fromits normal plane of operation during the removal of the registered sheetfrom said table for the purpose of clearing the sheet with respectto therotary transfer mechanism while it is being withdrawn from theregistering table, said latter means including adjustable elementshaving toggle action whereby the extent of such receding can be varied.

' HENRI E. PEYREBRUNE. BRUNO B. PASQUINELLI.

